We will be introducing our teen mom mentoring program this Spring. We will only be working with 5 teen moms this year and then we will expand as we add more mentors. If you are interested please email us at info@greaterwomen.com and put in the subject line I Am Still Somebody™. We will email you to let you know when the applications will be available. Please not that minors will need signed parental consent to participate in the program. This is a free program that will be done virtually. Stay tuned for more information coming soon!

Like this:

Our next book entitled, I Am Still Somebody: Encouraging, Empowering & Equipping Teen Mothers, will be published in 2016. There will also be a workbook and prayer book companions. In anticipation of this release, we are doing our first Teen Mother program, where 5 teen moms will be chosen to review all three books. There is no fee to apply or participate in this program.

This program will take approximately 8 weeks to complete. We will have weekly conference calls where we will discuss the weekly reading assignment and also get feedback from the young ladies on the content of the materials. Their reviews will also be featured on the back of the book. There will be a confidentiality agreement that must be signed by the participant and their parent/guardian if under the age of 18 before they can participate in the program.

Upon completion of the program, the young ladies will receive a certificate along with a gift bag of goodies. They will also receive autographed copies of all books. Please see timeline below for program deadlines.

Timeline:

Applications will be released on April 30, 2015

Deadline for applying is August 28, 2015

Notifications will be send out by September 1, 2015.

Program will start the week of September 7, 2015

Our goal is to raise $1,500.00 to help offset the expenses. Your sponsorship will ensure that these young ladies are not only encouraged to overcome the statistics but equipped with the tools to do so. Any donation of $25 or more will include a free autographed copy of the book and a notation in the book acknowledgements.

Our anticipated expenses are as follows but not limited too:

Certificate of completion

Mailing print materials to the teen moms

Autographed copies of each book

Gift bag

Journal

T-Shirt

Faith Confession Cards

Gift for their child/children

Monthly Goals & Accountability Workbook

Other gift items

It is my ultimate prayer that my testimony of overcoming the statics and obstacles of a teen mother will help another young girl find her way. Any donation amount will be accepted and greatly appreciated. The deadline for donations is October 31, 2015. For more information please email us atgwwministry@gmail.com. Thank you in advance for your support and your prayers!

Like this:

Sometimes when we make mistakes or poor choices we can lose sight of our self worth. We can also let the opinions of others cause us to look down on our own selves and we forget that we too are still somebody. No matter where you are in life right now, please remember that you still have SELF WORTH! Things may seem a little blurry right now and you may feel down but you still have SELF WORTH!

Don’t allow people to put you down just because you are a teen mom. The statics are not who you are. You can rise above it and prove just how much worth you still have. Our decisions are a part of us but they do not define the very essence of who we are. You are going to have to be very selective of the type people that you choose to hang around. Their influence in your life and that of your child will be crucial. They will either encourage you to achieve greater or they will continue to tell you what you can’t do. Be careful who you allow in your inner circle. It’s no longer just you but you have another human being depending on you as well. The choices you make will also lead them. Our children often imitate us on various levels if we play close attention to them.

You must believe in yourself even if no one else will do it. You must encourage yourself even if no one else knows the importance of it. You cannot depend on people to validate your self worth. You must know that on your own first and then others will notice it. How you treat yourself is the standard for everyone else including your child. You are still a jewel in God’s eye sight! You still matter! You are still worth it!

What are you doing to better yourself at this very moment? Take a minute and think about that. Now, write it down. Look at what you just wrote. Are you satisfied with the answer? Are you content with what you are doing right now? If you are the kudos to you and keep up the good work. If not, then only you can change it.

You can’t spend your life thinking that you deserve a handout or sympathy. You have to get up and start striving towards your goals. What do you want to accomplish this year alone? Go ahead and write them down. I’ll wait…If you haven’t already completed high school, I hope high school graduation was your first goal. We cannot get anywhere in this world without an education. Next to God’s word, it is a corner-stone in our life and vital to your success in life. Are you behind in school and it’s frustrating to think about how you will catch up? Don’t let them overwhelm you. You can still do it! There is no better time to start than now. This can only enhance your life and the life of your child. How can you tell your child education is important if you don’t invest in your own? Get with your counselor, a teacher, your parents or a trusted friend to help you accomplish this goal.

Strive to not only finish but complete it with the best grades possible. Take pride in your education. You don’t take an interest in your education then very people will also. People only take you as serious as you take yourself. Yes, I know its hard. Yes, I know you may have missed an entire grading period but guess what so did I and I still graduated on time. I had my homework sent home to me and I completed while I was out for my 6 weeks. Even though I did the work, I still had a teacher who believed that I didn’t deserve any higher than a 67 because I was not in the classroom. I didn’t let that stop me. I didn’t let the judgment of that one teacher ruin my educational achievement. I pushed past his obvious disgust of my situation and graduated with my class. Don’t allow one negative person or a group of them to deter you from reaching your academic success. You can do it! You can achieve it! You can succeed! You are still destined for greatness!

Go ahead and get that high school diploma! It’s waiting for you with your name on it.

Like this:

The following health and safety tips are from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Making the First Day Easier

Remind your child that there are probably a lot of students who are uneasy about the first day of school. Teachers know that students are anxious and will make an extra effort to make sure everyone feels as comfortable as possible.

Point out the positive aspects of starting school: It will be fun! She’ll see old friends and meet new ones. Refresh her positive memories about previous years, when she may have returned home after the first day with high spirits because she had a good time.

Find another child in the neighborhood with whom your youngster can walk to school or ride on the bus.

If you feel it is appropriate, drive your child (or walk with her) to school and pick her up on the first day.

Backpack Safety

Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back.

Pack light. Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments. Pack heavier items closest to the center of the back. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of your child’s body weight.

Always use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles.

If your school allows, consider a rolling backpack. This type of backpack may be a good choice for students who must tote a heavy load. Remember that rolling backpacks still must be carried up stairs, and they may be difficult to roll in snow.

Get involved with your child’s school

9. Learn what the school offers. Read the information the school sends home, and ask to receive information in your native language if necessary. Talk to other parents to find out what programs the school offers. Maybe there’s a music program, after-school activity, sports team, or tutoring program your child would enjoy. Remember to keep track of events throughout the school year.

10. Volunteer at your child’s school and/or join your school’s parent-teacher group. Teachers appreciate it when parents help out at the school! There are many ways you can contribute. You can volunteer in your child’s class or in the school library. You can make food for a school event. If you work during the day, you can attend “parents’ night” activities or your child’s performances. At most schools, a group of parents meets regularly to talk about the school. This group is usually called the PTA or PTO. The meetings give you a good chance to talk with other parents and to work together to improve the school. How to Get Involved in Your Child’s School Activities offers some more ideas that you can get involved, especially for busy parents.

Get informed and be an advocate for your child

11. Ask questions. If something concerns you about your child’s learning or behavior, ask the teacher or principal about it and seek their advice. Your questions may be like these — What specific problem is my child having with reading? What can I do to help my child with this problem? How can I stop that bully from picking on my son? How can I get my child to do homework? Which reading group is my child in?

13. Let the school know your concerns. Is your child doing well in school? Is he or she having trouble learning, behaving, or studying? Is there a problem with another student, teacher, or administrator? If you have a concern, How to Let the School Know About Your Concerns describes some steps to take.

Like this:

A Mother has so many things to do,
From washing, ironing, cleaning to tying a shoe.
She scrubs, she mends, she cooks and sews,
She bathes the children and washes their clothes.
When they forget to wash their faces clean,
And their clothes are the muddiest you’ve ever seen,
Who repairs the clothes and scrubs them like new?
Of course, that is what a Mother will do.

Who becomes the doctor or the nurse when they are ill,
Applying a bandage or giving them a pill?
Who becomes a teacher when a child has homework?
She must never her duty shirk.
Who becomes a detective to find a toy or a book?
For missing things she must look and look?
Who becomes a listner to every heartache,
To every accompolishment that a child makes?
Who scolds their children when they are naughty,
Or remind them of God when they are to haughty?
Who tends her family with love and patience, too?
Of course that is what a Mother will do.
– Unknown